The Curious Case of Obama's Disappearing Freeway Honor

Well, here we go again. It seems history, in a rather peculiar and frankly, a bit audacious way, has decided to repeat itself on the 134 Freeway. Another sign, a tribute to none other than former President Barack Obama, has simply vanished into thin air, pilfered from its post near Eagle Rock. And honestly, for a moment there, you might just wonder if it’s a particularly dedicated collector, or perhaps something a little more... pointed.

Caltrans, bless their diligent hearts, confirmed the news, letting us know this isn't some mere misplacement. This sign, marking a stretch of the freeway as the "President Barack H. Obama Freeway," was stolen. What’s more, it was a replacement, the original having been snatched way back in February 2018 – a mere weeks after it had been ceremoniously put up. Talk about a swift disappearance act, then and now. It makes you think, doesn't it? Is there a burgeoning black market for presidential freeway signage?

The sheer audacity of it all is quite something. Imagine, for a moment, the effort involved. We're talking about a freeway sign, not a garden gnome. It requires tools, perhaps a bit of daring, and certainly, a lack of concern for the public purse. Caltrans, currently working hand-in-hand with the California Highway Patrol, estimates the cost to manufacture and reinstall one of these — including, one presumes, the labor — hovers around a cool thousand dollars. That's a grand, just gone. Poof.

This particular stretch of the 134 Freeway, near the Colorado Boulevard exit, was designated in 2017 by Governor Jerry Brown, following legislation by Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez. And there's a reason, a real human connection, for Obama's name to grace that asphalt. You see, long before he stepped onto the national stage, President Obama walked the halls of Occidental College in Pasadena from 1979 to 1981. He used that very freeway, probably many times, like countless other students and commuters. So, in truth, it's more than just a sign; it's a nod to a local history, a memory of a time before. But now, it's a memory that keeps getting erased, or rather, taken.

One can only hope this time around, the authorities get to the bottom of it. Because, in a world full of big issues, the repeated theft of a commemorative freeway sign feels like a uniquely Californian blend of cheeky defiance and outright disrespect. It certainly keeps us talking, for better or worse.